He argues that the current review of Ofsted's framework should include scrapping the 'satisfactory' category, which he says too often amounts to 'grindingly satisfactory' and is found disproportionately in schools in lower socio-economic areas of the country. Instead lessons should be judged on a three-point scale: excellent, good and improvement required.

Roy Blatchford is also Director of the National Education Trust and has helped establish inspection and school review systems in New York, Dubai and Mumbai. In March this year he was invited to join the government's Teachers' Standards Review Group.

A number of responses have already appeared and your views are very welcome on what looks like being a lively topic.

Guest articles are becoming an increasingly popular feature of the Mike Baker Education website and I am happy to receive suggestions.

The views, as ever, are those of the authors not necessarily of myself as publisher but I am delighted for them to provoke a forum on key education issues.

Post a comment

After posting your comment you will need to confirm it by checking your email and clicking the confirmation that will be sent to you.